NAD Electronics is proud to announce the next generation of our innovative Modular Design Construction future-proofing technology, which allows owners of NAD components add exciting new features simply by performing a software upgrade and slipping a hardware module into an MDC slot on the back panel. Modular Design Construction2 features an all-new design that enables bidirectional communications between the module and host component, allowing a dramatically wider range of upgrade options.
NAD’s first MDC2-Enabled component is the C 399 HybridDigital DAC Amplifier. The module, MDC2 BluOS-D, adds Dirac Live room correction and BluOS multi-room music streaming to all compatible products listed above.
Dirac Live Room Correction
The weakest link in most sound systems is the listening environment. Room modes can cause boomy, uneven bass response; and reflections of sounds from room surfaces can smear transients and disrupt stereo imaging. Dirac Live analyzes room acoustics, and then uploads compensation filters to the MDC2 BluOS-D module. The MDC2 BluOS-D module corrects peaks and dips at frequencies up to 500Hz, which is the area where room modes are most problematic; a license for the full-bandwidth version of Dirac Live is available as an option. Dirac Live also optimizes impulse response by analyzing how sounds are reflected off room surfaces.
With Dirac Live enabled, listeners will enjoy vastly improved bass clarity, imaging, and timbral accuracy on all sources. The MDC2 BluOS-D module can store up to five Dirac profiles for different listening positions or room conditions—for example whether the drapes are open or closed.
The MDC2 BluOS-D module is NAD’s first module to enable Dirac Live room correction on a two-channel component—a testament to the versatility of the MDC2 platform. A calibrated microphone is included for performing room measurements.
BluOS Music Streaming
The MDC2 BluOS-D module features BluOS, a multi-room high-resolution streaming platform acclaimed for its versatility and ease of use. With the MDC2 BluOS-D module installed, owners of the C 399 and future MDC2-enabled components can access hundreds of Internet radio stations and over 20 streaming services, including several that deliver lossless and high-resolution audio. Thanks to MDC2’s bidirectional architecture, users can share audio from any source with up to 63 other BluOS-enabled components on the same network.
Playback can be controlled from the intuitive BluOS Controller app, available for iOS, macOS, Android, and Windows; by Alexa or Google voice commands; and from smart home control systems such as Crestron, Control4, Lutron, and RTI. Like all BluOS devices, the MDC2 BluOS-D module supports high-resolution audio to 24-bit/192kHz, and can perform MQA hardware decoding and rendering.
Future-Friendly
The MDC2 BluOS-D module incorporates the latest Wi-Fi and Ethernet protocols, as well as two-way Qualcomm aptX HD Bluetooth. It supports Apple AirPlay 2, Siri voice control, Spotify Connect, and Tidal Connect. Listeners can also play music from their personal libraries, stored on an external drive connected to the MDC2 BluOS-D module’s USB port.
The MDC2 BluOS-D module provides a vast range of options for playing local, networked, and cloud-based content throughout your home. And with its bidirectional communications architecture, the MDC2 platform is ready for innovations that have yet to be conceived.
FEATURES & DETAILS
- Dirac Live Room Correction*
- Calibrated microphone included for Dirac setup
- Wi-Fi and Ethernet networking
- BluOS music streaming to up to 63 zones
- Support for hundreds of Internet radio stations and over 20 streaming services
- High-res audio to 24-bit/192kHz
- MQA decoding and rendering
- Apple AirPlay 2 and Siri voice control
- Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice control
- Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect
- Two-way (send/receive) Qualcomm aptX HD Bluetooth
